Malaysia needs to talk to Pyongyang and negotiate, says Najib

KUALA LUMPUR: All 11 Malay­­sians in North Korea are now within the diplomatic compound of the Malaysian embassy and are all safe.

They can also go about their daily activities as usual, said Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.

The Prime Minister told reporters at Parliament lobby that the Na­­tional Security Council meeting on Tuesday concluded that there was no need to isolate the Malaysians who had been barred from leaving Pyongyang.

Najib added that Malaysia would not sever ties with North Korea as it was important to keep channel of communication open.

“At the moment it’s (bilateral ties between the countries) still on because it provides us with a channel. Because you need to have a channel to talk to them, to negotiate with them.

“In the meantime, we need to examine what is the need of the North Korean government. That is what we have to be sure of.

“But for now we will stick to our decision not to allow North Koreans here to leave the country,” he said, adding that the police have also been directed to continue with investigations into the death of Kim Jong-nam.

Najib said the authorities were still waiting for the body to be identified as no one has come forward to provide a DNA sample or identify the body.

On whether Malaysia would seek China’s help over the current crisis, Najib said he could not disclose any details.

“The welfare of our Malaysian citizens is of utmost importance and sometimes (any talks) are best conducted in secrecy,” he said.

Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said Wis­­ma Putra would be holding talks with the high-powered North Ko­­rean delegation now in the country.

“I think Wisma Putra will be discussing with them on how to resolve this matter amicably,” he told a press conference at Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka here yesterday.

The delegation, led by Ri Tong-il, North Korea’s former ambassador to the United Nations, had come to Malaysia to seek the release of Kim Jong-nam’s body.